The present invention relates generally to a method and system for providing pets with controlled access to various different locations and/or objects. More specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to an automated system whereby pets wearing an ID tag are allowed access to various locations and/or objects, such as food contained within a feeder dish for example, while a sensor system, responding to the presence of other animals or people, causes the device to close preventing unauthorized access thereto.
It should be noted by one skilled in the art that while the technology of the present invention is presented in the context of a preferred embodiment pet feeder dish such disclosure is meant only to be illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of this invention to a particular configuration. It is also intended within the scope of the present invention that the method and system disclosed herein can be applied equally for controlling access to litter boxes, pet watering systems (including circulating and outside of the house non circulating), pet toys, pet crates, pet gate access, pet doors, pet beds and pet containment systems. Accordingly, the general scope of the method and system are directed to the pet identification and access control technology and not to a specific embodiment. This provides a broad range of pet products that are improved in the context of the method and system of the present invention.
Generally the technology disclosed herein has been discussed in the prior art only in the context of controlled access feeders. It is well known that some animals are restricted to certain diets for many reasons ranging from the type or breed of animal, the age of the animal, the animal's weight or even specific health issues, such as diabetes for example. However, it is often inconvenient based on the pet owner's schedule to accommodate the dietary needs of the animal. This is particularly true when the pet owner has more than one pet, each requiring different dietary needs. The net result is that feeding time can become an issue for not only the pet owner but also for the pet leading to further aggravation of the above listed issues and the creation of new issues where none existed before. In addition, the presence of young children who may try to eat pet food poses yet a further problem for pet owners.
In an attempt to resolve these issues there is a need for a pet feeding system that can be set to automatically recognize and operate for a specific pet. In response there are various types of “automatic” animal feeding devices disclosed in the prior art. There are several devices that generally fall into a few distinct categories. One category of devices relies upon timer mechanisms that are programmed to operate on a 24-hour timetable. When a predetermined elapsed time or specific clock time is met, the device opens to allow the animal access to the food. Other devices simply depend on the pet to self regulate its consumption of food and simply include a bulk storage device that automatically fills an exposed bowl by gravity feed or similar method.
Still other systems in the prior art control access to the food contained therein based on the presence of the pet at the feeding device. More particularly, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,655 (Targa); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,897,753 and 4,036,178 (Lee et al.) a complex control system is provided that generates an electric field around an open food receptacle. An animal wearing a special collar that is provided with a conductive portion to alter the electric field signals to the system when the proper animal approaches the device. In response to the signal from the proper animal, a shock or other signal-generating device is disabled thereby allowing the proper animal to access the dish. Should an animal not wearing the special collar reach over the lip of the dish and make contact with the metallic strip thereon, the animal receives a shock that frightens the animal away from the dish. Alternately, instead of the conductive collar, the device can employ radio frequency (“RF”) technology. In another alternate embodiment, upon identifying the presence of the proper animal, the device activates a hopper that operates to fill a food receptacle. While these devices appear to have the ability to distinguish between those animals entitled to access and those who are not, the use of a shock to repel an animal may be deemed to be inhumane. Further, as the food is always exposed in the dish, this creates the risk that small children in the household will play with or eat the pet's food. Still further, these devices do not solve the problem of small children or other non-tagged animals accessing the food simultaneously in conjunction with the proper animal.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,328 (Lanfranchi) provides a cone-shaped device that partially opens when a receiver positioned within the device receives a signal from a collar on a pet. There is no ability for the system to close should a non-tagged animal push the tagged animal away and feed while the tagged animal remains nearby. Also, since only a small triangular opening is provided for feeding, it is possible that the animal will get its head stuck in the device making it unlikely that the proper animal would to want to return to such a device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,795 (Matsuura et al.) shows an animal tag having a memory for storing a history of the animal feeding times. The device samples the tag every 10 minutes and, if the animal is present, dispenses food to a separate dish. As is the case with the other prior art discussed herein, the food is exposed once dispensed, making it available for other animals or children to access. This device also appears rather complicated, especially when it is considered that it can only feed one animal. Further, the manufacturing cost of such a device is greatly increased by requiring the tag to have a memory and the controller to interact with that memory.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,461 (Gonet) shows a feeder that senses all animals and/or children proximate to the feeder, however, it does not discriminate between any and provides access to the food to all animals and people. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,228,816 and 7,426,901 (Turner et al.) discloses a pet feeding system that also operates based on identifying animals with tags, however, it also does not solve the issues related to non tagged animals or small children being present while the tagged animal is present. In addition the system requires a complex system for moving the food bowl from inside the feeder to the outside. In addition the feed system can easily trap the animal as it is closing should the pet try to keep it open.
In view of the prior art, there is a need for an automatic system that uncovers food contained therein when the assigned pet approaches allowing the animal to eat the specific food the owner has placed in that feeder while also recognizing all other animals in its proximity in order to cover the food or keep it covered when those animals or people approach. There is a further need for a system that excludes pets from one feeder while allowing access to yet another feeder so that they may be able to eat the food they require. Still further there is a need for a simplified pet feeding system that controls access by a plurality of animals to food, which can provide the correct food safely to the correct animal and is relatively less complex and cost-effective in regard to its use and operation.
Alternately there is a need for applying this identification and access control technology to litter boxes where there is a need to prevent dogs and small children from getting into cat litter boxes. Litter boxes are by nature not a clean environment. The possibility that children or other household pets such as dogs may enter a litter box represents a health hazard to the children of families with cats. To date litter box prior art is limited to varying techniques for cleaning the litter boxes of clumped litter and other waste products, not to the health issues associated with this dirty environment and the free access all creatures have to these products.
Still further there remains an alternate need to apply the identification and access control technology to pet watering systems including circulating and outside of the house non circulating, pet toys, pet crate and gate access, pet doors, pet beds, and pet containment systems. These products can all be significantly improved from the addition of this technology resulting in improved health and safety of both pets and family members for households with pets.